Truss construction



July 31, 1951 I v (3. GRANT 2,562,355-

TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 14, 1 949 COLON GRANT, DECEASED, BY

STELLA'C. GRANT, EXECUTRIX.

Patented July 31, 1951 TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Colon Grant, deceased, late of JacksonyMich by Stella C. Grant, executrix, Jackson, Mich., as-

signor to Stella C."Grant Application October 14, 1949, SerialNo. 121,320

4 Claims.

This invention relates to trusses and more particularly to the construction of the securing straps constituting the adjustable body belt by which the active truss pads are carried and held maintained in the applied and desired locations.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novel truss strap structure.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a truss adjustment strap and belt construction which permits the required adjustment to be effected in a ready and efficient manner and which results in a smooth and comfortable fit, without the occurrence of any localized pressure or discomfort to the wearer.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and the annexed claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. I is a front perspective view of a truss construction incorporating the invention,

Fig. II is a fragmentary perspective view showing on an enlarged scale the adjustment strap feature of the invention, the rear link strap being shown opened-up to expose the interior pressure distributing strip and one of the *defiectable strap ends, with its -finger' member shown in deflected position for the insertion or removal of the finger member from a selected 7 opening or slot in the rear link strap,

Fig. III is a top plan View of Fig. II with the surface of the remainder of the straps-dueto the termination of the strap reinforcement strips l8 at the point 20, as seen in Fig. II. Obviously, a single reinforcement strip could be employed insteadof the separate strips. 18, which are here shown in the form of wire rods enclosed between the strap plies 14a, 14b, which latter may be of leather, plastic or like pliable material.

The straps I4 are capable of being bent into shape to conform to the wearers body according to known practice.

At the front, the straps are adapted to be held joined together by a link strap 22, while at the back, the straps are adapted to be joined together by the link strap 24.

The front link strap 22 is formed as a sepa- 2 rate strap length and is detachably connected at its ends with the front of the respective pads H3, 12 by any suitable and convenient means, shown in the Fig. I as being constituted by spring socket fasteners 24 capable of being snapped into engagement with rigid pins 26 projecting from, and secured upon, the 'front of said pads.

The rear link strap 24, and its mode of connection with the rear deflectable ends l-B of the straps I' l, constitute the essence of the present invention and the means by Which the truss, as a whole, is capable of being adjusted for use, as to the effective length of the truss belt constituted by the interconnected straps I4, 22 and 24, and this with ease and with the assurance of a smooth, and comfortable fit. To this end, the rear link strap 24, which is formcdfrom leather or other suitable pliable material, is formed to enclose a rigid yet resilient strip 23 of spring steel, for example, which extends longitudinally within the plies 24a, 24b of the strap 24 and has its opposite end portions disposed to extend between a longitudinally spaced series of adjustment openings or slots 39 provided at opposite ends of the outside strap ply 24a and the adjacent portions of the rear strap ply Mb. Also, each defiectable strap end portion It is fitted with a rigid finger member, indicated generally at 32, which finger member provides an elongated finger portion 32a, proper, having a pointed end 3222 by which the finger portion can be readily engaged in a selected opening or slot 3!! for the obtaining of the required adjustment of the truss belt as a whole about the wearers body. Each finger member also has a base portion 320 joined with the finger'pcrtion Bid by an integral crank 32d and secured within its respective strap end l6, as by a metal rivet 34, en-

' gaged in the hole 36 of the base 320.

against the strip 28, which accordingly func-' tions as a pressure distributing strip and eliminates the occurrence of localized pressure. In other words, the pull or strain at the cranks 32d reacts upon the pressure distributor strip 28 and is evenly applied along the latter, whereby to give a smooth and comfortable fit. At the same time, the fingers 32 are capable of being readily engaged, or disengaged, with respect to the openings or slots 30 by deflection of the strap ends l6, as will be well appreciated from consideration of Fig. II in particular.

Having thus described the invention in one practical form, but without limitation to the precise details thereby involved, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a truss, a body belt adapted to encircle the wearers body, said belt being constituted by separate belt portions, and means adapted adjustably to connect said separate belt portions together with provision for ready adjustment of the effective belt length, said means comprising a finger member swingably carried at one end of one said belt portion and extending longitudinally of the inside of the latter, said finger member pointing in the direction of the opposite end of said belt portion, longitudinally spaced openings along the other belt portion and adapted for selective engagement by said swingable finger member, a pocket in said other belt portion adapted to receive said finger member in confined arrangement when inserted through a selected said opening, and an elongated pressure distributor part in said pocket in position to support said inserted finger member in sandwiched condition between said pressure distributor part and said first mentioned belt portion, said finger member being swingable on its said belt portion for ease of engagement with a selected said opening, or for disengagement therefrom, and said pressure part on the other belt portion serving to relieve the assembled belt of localized pressure at the point of interconnection of the two belt portions.

2. In a truss construction, a belt adapted to encircle the wearers body, said belt carrying the active truss pads and having end portions adapted for joining together in overlapped relationship, and means adapted adjustably to connect said end portions together with provision for ready adjustment of the effective belt length, said means comprising a finger member swingably carried on one said end portion and extending longitudinally inside the latter, said finger member pointing in reverse direction to said end, longitudinally spaced openings along the other end portion adapted for selective engagement by said swingable finger member, a pocket in said other strap end adapted. to receive said finger member in confined arrangement when inserted through a selected said opening, and an elongated pressure distributor part in said pocket in position to support said inserted finger member in sandwiched condition between said pressure distributor part and the overlapped belt end portions, said finger member being swingable on its said belt end portion for ease of engagement with a selected said opening, or for disengage- 6 ment therefrom, and said pressure part on the other belt end portion serving to relieve the belt of localized pressure at the point of interconnection of the two belt ends.

3. In a truss, a series of strap sections forming a body encircling member having ends adapted to be detachably secured together and including deformable yet substantially rigid strap sections, a terminal end defined on a said deformable strap section to constitute a said detachable end, said strap sections including a flexible link section adapted for the detachable connection of said terminal strap end, said terminal strap end being freely defiectable out of the general surface of its remaining and substantially rigid strap section, fastener means on said defiectable terminal end, receiving means on said flexible link strap section for said fastener means, and a substantially rigid strain distributor member incorporated in said flexible link strap in position to react to strain at the engaged fastener and receiving means to distribute said strain lengthwise of said link strap.

4. In a truss, a body belt, said body belt being made up from separate strap sections, said strap sections including sections carrying the active truss pads and a link strap section adapted to extend between and connect said sections carrying the active truss pads, means adapted adjustably to connect said active truss pad carrying sections and said link section together with provision for ready adjustment of their effective length, said means comprising a finger member pivotally carried at one end of a said active truss pad carrying strap section and extending longitudinally of the inside of the latter, said finger member pointing in the direction of the opposite end of said strap section, longitudinally spaced openings along the link strap section and adapted for selective engagement by said pivoted finger member, a pocket in said other link strap section adapted to receive said finger member in concealed arrangement when inserted through a selected said opening, and an elongated pressure distributor part in said pocket in position to support said inserted finger member in fiattened sandwiched condition between said pressure distributor part and said link strap section, said finger member being pivotal on its said strap section for ease of engagement with a selected said opening, or disengagement therefrom, and said pressure part on the link strap section serving to relieve the assembled belt of localized pressure at the point of interconnection of the said strap sections.

STELLA C. GRANT. Erecutrix 0f the Estate of Colon Grant, De-

(ceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

